Residents over the age of 16 with a PR9 postcode are being urged by the Government to seek a coronavirus test, whether they are displaying symptoms or not.
The call comes after a single case of the South African variant of Covid-19 was discovered in Southport.
- People with symptoms should book a test in the usual way. People without symptoms should visit the Sefton Council website for more information.
- People should continue to follow the lockdown rules and remember ‘hands, face, space’
- If a person tests positive, has any symptoms, or are contact traced following contact with someone who tests positive, they should self isolate immediately.
The South African variant is believed to be more transmissible but there is no evidence to suggest the strain is more harmful. There is also no evidence suggesting that the established vaccine program will not work.
Sefton Council will confirm additional testing availability in the area as soon as possible.
Other areas in the country with the strain received mobile testing vans along with testing kits posted to local homes. OTS understands similar measured are likely to be implemented in Southport.
A government spokesperson said: “Additional surge testing and sequencing is being deployed in a number of locations where the Covid-19 variant first identified in South Africa has been found. Testing will, in combination with following the lockdown rules and remembering hands-face-space, help to monitor and suppress the spread of the virus, while enabling a better understanding of the new variant.
“Extensive surveillance of Covid-19 has identified a small number of cases of the Covid-19 variant first identified in South Africa in localities across England, that cannot be traced back to international travel. All cases are now self-isolating and robust contact tracing has taken place to trace their contacts and ask them to self-isolate.
“Working in partnership with local authorities, enhanced testing and sequencing will be targeted within specific postcode areas. These postcodes are London (W7, N17, CR4); West Midlands (WS2); East of England (EN10); South East (ME15, GU21); North West (PR9).
“Every person over 16 living in these locations is strongly encouraged to take a Covid test this week, whether they are showing symptoms or not. Mobile Testing Units (MTUs) will be deployed offering PCR testing to people without symptoms who have to leave their home for work or essential reasons, with local authorities encouraging people to get tested in the area by providing additional home test kits. People with symptoms should book a test in the usual way and people without symptoms should visit their Local Authority website for more information. This additional testing will begin in these areas from Monday.
“Positive tests will be sequenced to identify any further spread of the Covid-19 variant first identified in South Africa, enabling a better understanding of the variant and identifying if there are any more cases of this particular strand of the virus in the area.
“In total, Public Health England has identified 105 cases of the Covid-19 variant first identified in South Africa since 22 December. All cases and their contacts have been contacted and told to self-isolate. There is currently no evidence to suggest this variant is more serious than others, or that the regulated vaccine would not protect against it.”
Health and Care Secretary Matt Hancock said: “It is vital that we do all we can to stop transmission of this variant and I strongly urge everyone in these areas to get tested, whether you have symptoms or not. The best way to stop the spread of the virus – including new variants – is to stay at home and follow the restrictions in place. Until more people are vaccinated this is the only way we will control the spread of the virus.
“The UK is a global leader in Covid-19 genomics, and because of this, we have been able to identify new strains of the virus and take decisive action. We continue to closely monitor new variants, here and around the world, and in addition to our already extensive testing service, we are making surge testing capacity available to affected areas.”
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